How to Write 俭 (jiǎn) — Meaning “frugal or thrifty”

Imagine a person (亻) holding a checklist (佥) to track every penny they spend. The image of someone carefully checking expenses helps you recall that 俭 means 'frugal' or 'thrifty.'

Write the left radical 亻 first, with the vertical stroke slightly longer than the left-slanting stroke. On the right side, the top part has three strokes (撇, 捺, 横) and the bottom is 佥 with a 人 on top—avoid making the bottom too wide, or the character will look unbalanced.

俭 (jiǎn, frugal) has the component 佥 on the right, while 伯 (bó, uncle) uses 白 (white) and 估 (gū, estimate) uses 古 (ancient). Visually, the right side of 俭 has more strokes and a 'checking' shape, while 伯 and 估 have simpler, box-like components.

俭 appears in common words like 节俭 (frugal), 勤俭 (hardworking and thrifty), and 俭朴 (frugal and simple). It is a positive cultural value in China, often used to praise someone who spends wisely and avoids waste, especially in traditional virtues.

Common words containing 俭 include: 节俭 (jié jiǎn) — Frugal / Thrifty; 勤俭 (qín jiǎn) — hardworking and thrifty; 俭朴 (jiǎn pǔ) — frugal and simple.